Build In SE

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Southeast VC spotlight: Bling Capital Congratulations to Miami-based Benjamin Ling on announcing Bling Capital Fund IV—a total of $270M across their flagship Seed Fund to back founders at the earliest stages and an Opportunity Fund to support breakout companies as they scale. Bling Capital is one of 394 active venture capital funds (and counting) across the Southeast. Check out our Southeast Capital Landscape created in partnership with our friends at Embarc Collective to help founders and entrepreneurs identify active venture capital firms throughout the Southeast. We invite startup entrepreneurs and investors alike to utilize this resource and build more successful startup stories in the Southeast. https://lnkd.in/euTciZdU #BuildInSE

Excited to share our latest Build In SE Q3 2024 Venture Report! Key highlights: - Miami & Atlanta continue to dominate with $13.86B and $15.57B in total funding through 2023 - Impressive state growth: Alabama (124.2% CAGR), Virginia (111.7%), South Carolina (108.9%) from 2014-2023 - Birmingham leads post-COVID growth at 30.38%, showing strong momentum in emerging tech hubs Exciting to see fresh capital flowing in, with new funds based in the southeast like Boldstart Ventures ($250M), HIPstr ($100M), and Sovereign's Capital ($60M). Check out our full report at Build In SE or follow our Substack! https://lnkd.in/etBe7EKz #BuildInSE #Southeast #startups #venturecapital

?? Southeast Venture Funding Insights: Key Trends You Need to Know ?? The latest findings from PitchBook, National Venture Capital Association, highlighted by Build In SE, showcase some exciting trends in the Southeast's venture funding landscape. Whether you’re a startup founder actively pursuing capital or just looking to stay informed about regional investment dynamics, this is a must-read!

Following the broader tech industry's return to hiring, several Southeast-based unicorns are positioned for potential growth heading into 2025. While AI and cybersecurity companies lead national hiring trends, the Southeast's unicorn landscape offers unique opportunities across gaming, fintech, and logistics sectors. Key Southeast unicorns to watch for hiring: Epic Games (Raleigh, NC): Gaming giant behind Fortnite and Unreal Engine, anchoring the Research Triangle's tech scene Pendo.io (Raleigh, NC): Product analytics platform benefiting from the growing focus on user experience optimization Calendly (Atlanta, GA): Scheduling powerhouse supporting the surge in hybrid work environments Greenlight (Atlanta, GA): Family-focused fintech platform expanding financial education services Stord (Union City, GA): Supply chain technology platform revolutionizing logistics operations Fullstory (Atlanta, GA): Digital experience analytics platform gaining traction in the customer intelligence space Material Bank?(Boca Raton, FL): Architecture and design marketplace transforming material sampling Papa (Miami, FL): Elder tech platform addressing the growing senior care market Built (Nashville, TN): Construction finance platform riding the real estate tech wave CareBridge (Nashville, TN): Healthcare technology innovator in the growing digital health space

?????????????????? ?????????????? ?????????????? ????????????: ??Long-term Growth Champions (2014-2023): ? Alabama dominates with 773.9% growth ? Virginia shows remarkable expansion at 201.6% ? South Carolina (135.2%) and Tennessee (129.6%) deliver impressive triple-digit growth ?? 2023's Resilient Performers (YoY Growth): ? Tennessee leads the pack: +58.77% ? Kentucky demonstrates strength: +45.13% ? Alabama maintains momentum: +10.68% ?? 2024's Comeback (Q3 Update): ? North Carolina already 20% ABOVE their entire 2023 total ? South Carolina surpassed 2023 total by 5% ? Florida reaching 80% of 2023 total funding ? Kentucky approaching 86% of 2023 funding ?? The Bigger Picture: Despite 2022-2023 market corrections, the Southeast is cementing its position as a robust startup ecosystem. This sustained capital flow, particularly in emerging tech hubs, signals a maturing market ripe with diverse opportunities. Source: PitchBook-National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) Venture Monitor, Q3 2024 #BuildInSE #VentureCapital #Startups #Southeast #Innovation

Looking to join the next big startup in the Southeast? Many exciting opportunities can be found through local entrepreneurial support organizations and venture firms' portfolio companies. Here's your go-to list of job boards across the region: Amplify Startups (Louisville, KY) - Kentucky's startup job marketplace https://lnkd.in/ecWv2dTu BIP Ventures (Atlanta, GA) - Curated roles at Southeast's fastest-growing startups https://lnkd.in/e6yiAn_G DeepWork Capital (Orlando, FL) - Tech and life sciences opportunities https://lnkd.in/eSCQ-5rD Dynamo Ventures (Chattanooga, TN) - Supply chain and logistics startup opportunities https://lnkd.in/eyNXwMtp Embarc Collective (Tampa, FL) - Florida's startup ecosystem job board https://lnkd.in/ekpr7WeA Florida Funders (Tampa, FL) - Early-stage technology company positions https://lnkd.in/exfCNUdf Hypepotamus - Southeast's tech news and job board https://lnkd.in/ej6vQeBQ Innovate Mississippi (Jackson, MS) - Mississippi's statewide startup opportunities https://lnkd.in/eyG-jMki LaunchTN (Nashville, TN) - Comprehensive listing of Tennessee startup roles https://lnkd.in/eDJ9paMT Overline (Atlanta, GA) - Featured positions at Atlanta-based and Southeast startups https://lnkd.in/gvPhaAZQ Raleigh Founded (Raleigh, NC) - Triangle area startup opportunities https://lnkd.in/eY2nVShb Startup Virginia (Richmond, VA) - Richmond's incubator job board https://lnkd.in/ep8XeAfJ Tech Square Ventures (Atlanta, GA) - Atlanta's premier job board featuring early-stage startups https://lnkd.in/edR3Zd2z Valor Equity Partners Ventures (Atlanta, GA) - Focused on AI and B2B startup opportunities https://jobs.valor.vc/jobs Know of other great startup job boards in the Southeast? Drop them in the comments below! ??

??Proud to see Vanderbilt University - Owen Graduate School of Management making the cut at #14, producing 0.7 unicorn founders per 1,000 alumni. The data shows there's still considerable ground to cover for the Southeast's business schools. Notable absences from the top 14 include Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business, Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business, University of Virginia Darden School of Business, University of Florida - Warrington College of Business, and UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. This is particularly interesting given many of these institutions rank well in PitchBook's Top 100 Universities for Startup Founders (https://lnkd.in/dXWuMiUR), Would be valuable to see where these southeastern schools rank on a unicorn founders per capita basis, especially given their strong performance in other entrepreneurship metrics. The numbers tell a clear story: while the Southeast is making strides with its growing tech hubs and increasing VC presence, there's a significant gap to close with regions like the West Coast and Northeast in producing unicorn-level companies. That said, the trajectory is promising. With major tech companies relocating Southeast, expanding venture capital networks, and strong academic foundations, the building blocks for future growth are in place. Credit: Data from Ilya Strebulaev and the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Venture Capital Initiative #BuildInSE #BusinessSchools #Entrepreneurship #Startups #Southeast #VentureCapital

?? Breaking Down the Southeast in PitchBook's Global VC Ecosystem Rankings! Here's how our Southeastern cities stack up: ?? Miami leads the Southeast at #18 globally ? Impressive 57.8 growth score ? $20.9B in deals across 2,238 investments ? Strong $32.8B in fundraising activity ?? Atlanta follows at #40 ? $13.3B in deal value ? 1,487 deals completed ? Solid 42.3 growth score ?? Other Southeast highlights: ? Raleigh (#41) showing strong growth at 52.4 ? Charlotte (#67) demonstrating momentum with 51.4 growth score ? Nashville (#62) and Orlando (#59) rounding out our regional hubs For perspective: San Francisco leads internationally with $430B in deals, while NYC (#2) saw $179.5B and Boston (#4) recorded $114.3B https://lnkd.in/exA39bC4 #BuildInSE

?? Memphis: Birthplace of blues & soul, AND home to the world's 10th largest pyramid (now a Bass Pro Shop!) Just discovered in Nathaniel Smith's Memphis Startup Guide that they have the world's busiest cargo airport AND the most pristine groundwater of any major city. Thanks Nate for this amazing deep dive into Memphis' startup ecosystem! ?? Check it out! https://lnkd.in/e3eh-VNF #Memphis #Startups #Innovation #BuildInSE